Chiquita sued over Colombian paramilitary payments

To the Colombians' lawyers, all of this adds up to overwhelming evidence that Chiquita should be held liable.

"There is too much evidence over too long a period of time," Collingsworth said. "How do you talk your way out of that?"

Chiquita, however, is seeking to have the claims dismissed and said the cases wrongly seek to make the company liable "for every murder these terrorist groups committed during the several decades in which they held sway in the lawless, remote regions of Colombia where Chiquita's subsidiary operated."

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra has refused to dismiss the cases involving murders and other crimes committed against U.S. citizens by FARC. But he has not yet ruled on the AUC cases.

Collingsworth said if the cases proceed he expects serious settlement talks to begin.

"I can't believe a jury wouldn't give each of these people $50 million, easily," he said. "That number is huge. I think both sides have an interest in some kind of structured settlement."